How to Serve Divorce Papers in Arizona

Serving papers refers to the legal obligation to give other parties a notice that you have filed papers with the court and that these other parties could be impacted by your filings. By law, divorce papers (and other legal papers) have to be served in a specific manner, and proof of delivery must be submitted with the court to verify that this requirement has been satisfied.

Serving Divorce Papers in Arizona: The OptionsAn experienced Scottsdale family law attorney explains the options for serving divorce papers in Arizona. Contact us for experienced help resolving any family law issue.

Service by acceptance , which involves giving or mailing the divorce papers to the other party. Typically, with service by acceptance, the other party will have to sign the Acceptance of Service form in front of a Notary Public (and then return the form to you) – after the divorce papers have been filed with the court. Signing the Acceptance of Service form simply indicates that one party admits to having received a copy of the papers that have been filed with the court.

Service by a sheriff , in which a sheriff will serve the divorce papers to the other party. While this will involve the completion of a special form (and additional fees), it may be a good option when, for instance, there is a history of domestic violence in a marriage.

Service by a registered process server , which involves retaining a registered process server to serve the divorce papers to the other party. Although this method of serving divorce papers can be more expensive, it may be a good option when people need extra help tracking down an ex (or when an ex may be particularly elusive to serve for any reason).

Other methods of service – For instance, if a party to a divorce cannot be located to be served with the divorce papers, it may be possible to serve via publication. Other circumstances may present other ways for serving divorce papers as well, so it’s best to consult with an experienced attorney for more details pertaining to your situation.

Serving Divorce Papers: More Important Info

A divorce case will not proceed until proof of service of divorce papers has been submitted to the court.

There may be additional requirements for service if the other party lives out of state (so, again, consult an attorney for more specifics if this applies to you).

Once divorce papers have been served, the served party will have the opportunity to respond to them (or “answer” the divorce complaint). The answer should detail what the other party wants in the divorce, and this can indicate how contentious the upcoming divorce proceedings may end up being.

Scottsdale Family Law Attorney at the Law Office of Karen A. Schoenau

Are you ready to file for divorce and serve your ex with divorce papers? Or do you need help resolving any family law matter? If so, you can rely on Scottsdale Family Law Attorney Karen Schoenau for honest answers, effective representation and the best possible outcomes to your case. Since 1987, Karen Schoenau has been committed to helping people resolve their important family law matters, including complex cases related to divorce, custody, paternity and other issues.

To receive professional advice and learn more about how we can help you, schedule an initial consultation with Attorney Karen Schoenau. You can set up this meeting by calling 480-209-1918 or by emailing us using the drop-down contact form at the top of this page

From her offices based on Scottsdale, Attorney Karen Schoenau represents clients throughout the metropolitan Scottsdale area, including in Scottsdale, Mesa, Surprise, Maricopa County, Pinal County, Gila County and throughout the state of Arizona.

Karen is highly respected in the legal community. She is effective and thorough. Karen just keeps going regardless of the odds. Steve C.

★★★★★

Karen was extremely helpful setting up my petition for conciliation. She is by far the most knowledgeable attorney regarding the necessary paperwork, how to file the petition and where it has to be submitted. She listened intently when I was describing my situation and intentions. She was very responsive to my questions and request. She is trustworthy and diligent . I would recommend her to anyone having marital issues. Mark

★★★★★

Very high customer/client considerate. We found Karen when we were forced to leave another Phoenix lawyer due to his bad advice and lack of interest to help us. We were in Phoenix for six days from Michigan with nothing happening but a high wasted expense. Karen and her firm took us in and solved our issue with the courts etc. in two and a half days. Karen’s professionalism with us was very cost effective/productive. If we would have found her first, we would have saved thousands of dollars. Her interest for us was very high. She returned every call. She knew every answer to our questions. She did this for us with a death in her family. She left for a funeral and made sure we were treated with the same professionalism from her firm to finish up. I recommend Karen and her firm with very high satisfaction. Our case is custody with one parent in prison. We will return to Phoenix someday with interests for the child and his parent, if needed. Karen will be our top choice. Nolan

★★★★★

Karen and Bonita are wonderful!! I know that the word "wonderful" is used a lot, but the team they make and the work they did for me can only be described as WONDERFUL!! Yes there where ups and downs in my case, but that is the system and Karen along with Bonita guided and taught me as "WE" went through it together. Karen’s easy going manner and her knowledge really helped me with the emotional part of my divorce. I used the team of Karen and Bonita both times I needed to go to court with my ex and had results that were best for my little girl. Some times I did not get what I wanted, but it was what my daughter needed. Looking back at my case, I made the right choice and would do it again in a heart beat!! Jim

★★★★★

Karen was extremely supportive during a very trying time in our lives. She helped me to put things in perspective and think positive when I was overwhelmed. She is very knowledgeable about the laws pertaining to grandparents rights and the rights of the parents and knew how to provide the appropriate laws pertaining to the situation we were in. I am so grateful for her expertise and guidance. She proved to be very aggressive when she needed to be but was also supportive to my and my children. I would recommend her to anyone in a similar situation. Deanna

We serve clients throughout Arizona including those in the following localities: Maricopa County including Avondale, Buckeye, Cave Creek, Chandler, El Mirage, Fountain Hills, Gilbert, Glendale, Goodyear, Mesa, New River, Paradise Valley, Peoria, Phoenix, Queen Creek, Scottsdale, Sun City, Sun City West, Surprise, and Tempe; Gila County including Globe; La Paz County including Parker; Pima County including Tucson; and Yuma County including Yuma.